Jim Russ' Weekend And Week Ahead Traffic And Travel Advisory

Jim Russ' Weekend And Week Ahead Traffic And Travel Advisory

The pedestrian bridge that connects Piers 4 and 5 will remain closed until the end of April while it is replaced. Use Pratt Street instead while walking around the Inner Harbor. (WBAL photo by Jim Russ)

If you have questions or would like to add to this story, write to me at jruss@hearst.com. Traffic tips? Verizon cellular users call *AUTO or 410-261-2309. For traffic on Twitter follow me @jimwbaltraffic (WBAL photo by Jim Russ)

Saturday Lane Closures on the JonesFalls Expressway

On Saturday, crews will be doing lighting repairs on the downtown portion of the northbound Jones Falls Expressway/I-83 from Fayette and President Streets to Chase Street.

One lane will be closed between 6:00 am and 3:00 pm, weather permitting.

No lane closures are scheduled on Easter Sunday.

Charles Street Crane Operation

Because of a heavy duty mobile crane operation, there will be lane closures at Charles and Chase Streets on Saturday between 6:00 am and 3:00 pm.

At least one lane should remain open in all directions at all times during the work.

Davis Street Closed near MercyMedicalCenter on Saturday

Work involving a large mobile crane will close Davis Street between Saratoga and Pleasant Streets, behind MercyMedicalCenter on Saturday from 6:00 am until 3:00 pm.

In order to set steel for the new Middletown Road bridge over the Harrisburg Expressway, the MD SHA will close I-83 BOTH WAYS for up to 15 minutes at a time each overnight Tuesday through Thursday of next week.

During the closures, SHA and Maryland State Police will stop all traffic on I-83 EACH WAY for up to 15 minutes to allow large cranes to move safely within the work zone and for crews to secure steel bridge beams.

Crews will open all lanes of traffic on I-83 no later than 5:00 am each day.

In case of inclement weather next Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, the overnight closures on I-83 will resume Sunday night, April 8.

NO FORMAL DETOUR WILL BE POSTED.

Motorists should consider MD 45 (York Road) as an alternate to avoid the area, or plan for extra travel time.

More than 49,700 vehicles use this section of I-83 daily.

In addition, single lane closures are possible each day, Monday through Friday on I-83/Harrisburg Expressway EACH WAY at the Middletown Road work zone from 9 am until 3 pm.

Overnight Closures Planned Next Week on Wilkens Avenue at I-695

Crews erecting steel beams for the new Beltway bridge over MD 372/Wilkens Avenue will CLOSE Wilkens Ave at I-695 overnight beginning Wednesday, April 3.

The total closures will be in place from 11:00pm until 5:00 am the following morning and is expected to last for up to eight weeknights.

Improvements Planned for the Charles Street Entrance to SheppardPrattHospital

Work to improve the Gatehouse Drive entrance to SheppardPrattHospital on will cause lane closures on Charles Street each mid-day next week.

Crews will close the left lane each way on Charles Street (MD 139) at the familiar Gatehouse each day, Monday through Friday next week from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm.

Retaining Wall Work on I-270 on MontgomeryCounty In Rockville

Crews working on the retaining wall along the southbound lanes of I-270 will close the right lane between Montrose Road and I-495 lane divide on Wednesday, April 3 from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm.

Major Around-The-Clock Bridge Repairs on I-68 in Cumberland in AlleganyCounty

Highway crews will close one lane on I-68 on the CrosstownBridge (above MD 51/Industial Blvd) in Downtown Cumberland for pavement repairs beginning next week.

Lane closures will begin each Sunday night at 8 pm and contunue around the clock through noon on Friday each week through May.

Next week the closures will begin on Monday night because of the Easter Holiday.

Crews will be patching the concrete driving surface of the bridge and will begin on eastbound I-68 working from right to left before moving to the westbound side of I-68.

In addition, the eastbound I-68 exit to MD 51 (Industrial Boulevard/Exit 43B), will be closed for patching next weekend, beginning at 8 pm Friday, April 5, and reopening at 8 pm Sunday, April 7.

Detour signs will direct motorists to continue east to the Willowbrook Road exit, exit 44, where they will return to westbound I-68 and use the westbound exit 43B to MD 51.

Patching the driving surface of the bridge and ramps is part of a $14 million bridge rehabilitation project that also includes repairs, cleaning and painting below the bridge.

The extended lane closures are necessary because many of the areas to be patched on I-68 are too large to cover with steel plates while the concrete cures.

The extended closures will also allow crews to complete the patching on I-68 more quickly.

I-95 Fort McHenry Tunnel Lane Closures for Week of April 1

The following closures are tentatively scheduled at the Fort McHenry Tunnel the week of April 1, 2013 through April 7, 2013:

Monday 4/01 - Bore 1 & Bore 4 for scheduled maintenance operations

Tuesday 4/02 - Bore 1 & Bore 4 for scheduled maintenance operations

Wednesday 4/03 - Bore 1 & Bore 4 for scheduled maintenance operations

Thursday 4/04 - Bore 1 & Bore 4 for scheduled maintenance operations

Friday 4/05 - Bore 4 for scheduled maintenance operations

Saturday 4/06 - Bore 4 for scheduled maintenance operations

Sunday 4/07 - No closures scheduled

This is a tentative schedule subject to change due to weather, heavy traffic, incidents or priority closures.

Bay Bridge Lane Closures Scheduled for Week of April 1

The westbound span of the BayBridge (US 50 West/US 301 South) may be closed at the following times for maintenance work:

Each overnight Monday through Wednesday from 8 pm until 5 am the following morning

Each overnight Thursday through Saturday from 9 pm until 5 am the following morning

A two-way traffic operation will be set up on the eastbound span of the BayBridge during the full westbound span closures.

One lane of the eastbound span of the BayBridge (US 50 East/US 301 North) may be closed Tuesday through Thursday from9 am until 2:30 pmfor maintenance work.

Two-way traffic will operate on the westbound span.

One lane of the westbound span of the Bay Bridge (US 50 West/US 301 South) maybe closed on Friday from 9 am until 12 noon for maintenance work.

When daytime two-way traffic is in effect on the westbound span, toll lanes 1 through 5, on the left side of the toll plaza will be directed into two-way flow traffic on the westbound span.

Motorists wishing to use an E-ZPass® Only lane to access the eastbound span should use toll lanes 6 or 9.

Bridge Work Progresses on US 50 in Queenstown

Westbound US 50 bridge rebuilding project over US 301û TheRIGHTlane of two is blocked long-term on the westbound US 50 ramp that merges with southbound US 301 near the outlets in Queenstown.

The entire bridge rehabilitation project is on schedule to be completed by late April.

This lane closure has at times caused significant days for traffic leaving MarylandÆs eastern shore bound for Baltimore and Washington on Sunday afternoons.